Changing room chat: Carpenter's Rumble was 'cut by BBC'

Published on Tuesday 23 March 2010 21:21

GENEROUS tributes were paid to Harry Carpenter in yesterday's press following the death at 84 of the popular boxing commentator.

Simon Barnes of The Times described how the likes of Carpenter "invented sports commentary" by adhering to a few golden rules, including watching his language at all times. "Don't say **** or **** and for God's sake, keep God out of it."

It was ironic, then, that the utterly professional Carpenter's finest moment came when he commentated on the 'Rumble in the Jungle', when Muhammad Ali and George Foreman produced what was one of the greatest fights in history in Zaire.

As Foreman looked set to finish off his toiling opponent, Ali found the strength to knock out his opponent with a right-hand punch in an incredible climax, prompting an astonished Carpenter to exclaim: "Oh my God, he's won the title back at 32!"

But according to Colin Hart of the Sun, billed as a 'friend and colleague' of Carpenter, it was some time later before the commentator received credit for those famous words. "The viewers never heard him say it," wrote Hart. "The BBC, back in 1974, cut out the words 'Oh my God' when the fight was shown."

Fifer gets to show his stuff on mic

FIFER Adam Cromarty is hoping to become the new voice of show jumping and has made it to the final three in a commentating final organised by Grandstand Group, the team behind Horse of the Year Show and the British Open Show Jumping Championships.

Adam, 25, will compete against Jo Thoenes, a 35-year-old from Oxford, and Ian Scott, 55, from Stamford, Lincolnshire in front of a live audience at next month's British Open Championships. Helena Pettit of Grandstand Group, said: "We are looking for a commentator whose aspiration is to be a leading commentator. The final will be a real test for them."

Sarkozy advised to get on his bike

WHAT do you get for the man who has everything? A new bike, of course.

That's what occurred to seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong at any rate when he met French president Nicolas Sarkozy and presented him with a slick-looking racer complete with red, white and blue detailing in honour of the country's flag.

The French president, apparently a big fan of cycling, signed his name on the frame of the bike, which also had the Livestrong logo of Armstrong's cancer charity foundation as the two met in Paris on Monday.